Halloween is the prefect time of year to give audiences a fright. Which is why October usually sees at least a few opportunities for theater goers to jump out of their seats. Below is a list of 2009's offering for Halloween fun.
Zombieland
Release Date: October 2
Rated R
While Zombieland is billed as a comedy, it still features hordes of zombies running amok in a post-apocalyptic world. A small band of human survivors (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin) travel along a deserted United States, fighting for survival, as well as the honor of having the "Zombie Kill Of The Week." Like Shaun of the Dead before it, Zombieland plays the idea of Zombies primarily for laughs, making it a much more lighthearted choice for a Halloween movie.
The Stepfather
Release Date: October 16
Rated PG-13
A remake of the 1987 thriller of the same name, The Stepfather finds Michael (Penn Badgley) coming home from military school only to find that his mom (Sela Ward) has started living with her new boyfriend, David (Dylan Walsh). Michale is suspicious of David, and begins to uncover secrets about David's darker side. The original was a dark thriller about a man's obsession with creating the perfect family. If the new film follows suite, it could be a quite compelling thriller. On the other hand, the PG-13 rating could limit how frightening the scares might be.
Paranormal Activity
Release Date: October 16
Rated R
A young couple moves into a new home, but become plagued by a demonic force that becomes active when they try to sleep at night. Most of the film appears to be shot from one stationary perspective. That combined with the aggressive viral campaign has drawn comparison to 1999's The Blair Witch Project. This is movie for those looking for something a bit unconventional.
Saw VI
Release Date: October 23
Rated R
The sixth installment of the "torture porn" franchise finds Detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) as the last standing successor to Jigsaw's (Tobin Bell) legacy. Unfortunately for Hoffman, the FBI is getting closer to discovering his identity, so he is forced to set a new game into motion. While the first film had an ambiguous sense of morality at it's core, each subsequent entry in the franchise has gravitated towards more and more ridiculous deaths and justifications. The promise that in this film "Jigsaw's grand scheme is finally understood" does lend some hope that Saw VI will bring everything together, however.
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
Release Date: October 23
Rated PG-13
An adaptation of the second book in Darren Shan's book series, the movie follows Darren (Chris Massoglia) after he goes to a traveling freak show and gets recruited by Larten Crepsley (John C. Reily), the show's vampire attraction. Things are more complicated than they seem, and Darren finds he has become a pawn in an dangerous struggle between supernatural forces. The Vampire's Assistant certainly looks to be the most family friendly Halloween film being released, and while a little dark in tone, it most likely will not be too scary for the littler ones.
The House of the Devil
Release Date: October 30
Rated R
This 80's horror tribute finds broke college student Samantha (Joceline Donahue) a babysitting job in a Victorian Mansion deep in the woods. She soon learns the mansions inhabitants have terrifying plans in store for her. The House Of The Devil has received strong buzz on the Film Festival circuit, but it's limited theatrical run will make it a little difficult for the average viewer to find.
Which of the above films will give audiences the tingles? The variety of these films will ensure that the answer will differ from person to person. It will also hopefully give all different kinds of viewers a fun night, spooky night out.
Timothy Gaydos - I attended Ohio University for four years, studying Video Production and Film, earning a BA in Science and Communications from the Scripps ...
